As a young girl, Shreya Krishnan, an architect and urban designer, spent several after-school hours at her grandfather’s house in Pelathope, Mylapore. The house, with its quintessential ornate grilles and sturdy columns, is now more than 150 years old — an example of the neighbourhood’s everyday heritage. Growing up, she noticed the gradual change in the character of the street that translates to ‘jackfruit grove’. The 50-to-100-year-old buildings in this street full of lawyers had fascinated her as a child. However, they began disappearing, making way for new construction. Witnessing Vedanta Desikar Swamy Street (as it is referred to today), experience an intense transformation, instilled in her a sense of urgency to preserve Pelathope’s heritage while addressing the urban challenges in shaping its future.These concerns eventually led to the creation of Pelathope Urban Living Lab (PULL) a living lab where residents, local Government representatives, and technical experts collaboratively address urban challenges. As part of this effort, Shreya‘s organisations PULL and SKDO, in partnership with BeFantastic (a tech-art platform) and PLUS (Public Landscape and Urbanism Studio), will be hosting Namma Theru Our Design from August 7 to 9.“We want to create a vision for society across four themes — ecology, mobility and access, culture and heritage, and livability — covering issues ranging from water management and walkability to preserving everyday heritage and improving public spaces,” says Shreya, adding that the event aims to create a community-led vision for Pelathope over the next five to 10 years. Over the three-day event, Pelathope will come alive with art, games and storytelling sessions. Kolam workshops, live mural painting, traditional games and hopscotch will take over the streets, while sketching sessions and history-based card games will help participants reconnect with the neighbourhood.At the heart of the event is the thinnai — the traditional front porch that once brought neighbours together. It will host storytelling sessions, oral history conversations and intergenerational workshops, encouraging families to share memories of Pelathope.Memory Canopy, an art installation, will be created using sarees donated by women in the neighbourhood, with each saree carrying a cherished memory pinned to it. The programme will also feature expert roundtable discussions bringing experts and residents into conversation about Pelathope’s future.